FORT MYERS, Fla. – The ULM softball team (7-4) claimed two more wins on Sunday (Feb. 15) against Hofstra (0-5) in two stellar games. The Warhawks opened with their first shutout of the season in a 7-0 defeat of Hofstra in the first game of the doubleheader before claiming their first run-rule victory with a 10-2 win in the afternoon.
 
Game 1: ULM 7, Hofstra 0
While ULM continued to get runners on base, they were unable to convert runners into scored runs in the first three innings, three strikeouts from Maddie Nichols in three innings preventing a score from the Pride as well. 
 
But the fourth inning brought the momentum toward ULM, as a walk and a Hollie Thomas double set up the sacrifice fly from Morgan Brown, scoring the first run of the contest. Maryssa Zenzen then claimed the RBI single, Maddie Nichols playing as a two-way as she hit an RBI double to extend the lead. Brooklin Lippert hit an RBI single to make it a four-run inning as the Warhawks settled into the lead.
 
A double and a fielding error had Hofstra in position to score, but a strikeout from Ashanti McDade kept the Pride at bay after four innings. The hot bats continued in the fifth for the Warhawks, a single and an error placing two on base and Meagan Brown crossing home plate on a wild pitch. Elle Carter then hit an RBI single to score the sixth run of the day for ULM. Back-to-back walks had Lippert driving in a seventh run. Two strikeouts and four stranded runners in the final two innings for Hofstra allowed for ULM to close the game with a 7-0 shutout.
 
Kailey Monsef, Carter and Lippert all had multi-hit games, Lippert also claiming a multi-RBI day. Three doubles from Thomas, Carter and Nichols served as the extra-base hits of the game. Six putouts from Zenzen led the defense. Nichols claimed the win with 3.1 innings in the circle, three strikeouts, one hit and no runs. Tessa Ivy claimed two strikeouts in two innings of action, McDade also striking out a batter in 0.2 innings. Abagail Creighton saw her first inning as a Warhawk, with a full inning of action.
 
Game 2: ULM 10, Hofstra 2 (5 inn.)
Hofstra was able to start its offense out hot, three-straight singles scoring two players for the 2-0 lead early. But the Warhawks turned around, able to respond in the first. Two walks and a single set up the sacrifice fly from Hollie Thomas for the first score for ULM. Elle Carter then hit a two-RBI single to find the lead, a fourth run scored off a fielding error. Maryssa Zenzen then reached on another error as Carter crossed home plate, turning the tides to a 5-2 score after one inning.
 
A three-up, three-down inning in the second set up another five-run inning for the Warhawks. A single and a double from Kailey Monsef allowed Meagan Brown to score Monsef on a double of her own. A triple from Morgan Brown scored two more runs, with Carter driving in the 10^th run of the game with a ground-out. 
 
Another 1-2-3 inning for the Pride kept it at a 10-2 score in the third, ULM unable to expand on the lead. Two strikeouts in the fourth by Bristin Bordeau kept Hofstra at bay, as the fourth was another scoreless inning. A few singles were hit by Hofstra in the top of the fifth, but Bordeau and the Warhawk defense got out of the inning for their first run-rule win of the season.
 
Meagan Brown led the team with two hits on the day, also scoring two runs and claiming two RBI. Elle Carter claimed three RBI to lead ULM, both Brown sisters also having multi-RBI days. Tessie Harrison's four putouts led the defense. Skylar Waggoner picked up the win after three innings in the circle and two strikeouts. Bordeau came in for two innings of relief, striking out four batters in the process.
 
ULM improves to 7-4 as the team returns to Louisiana to face I-20 foe in Louisiana Tech. First pitch against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday (Feb. 19).